Sane
by essence007
Summary: A female shinigami drops into the laps of Hueco Mundo's finest. Why is she here? Who is she? Her past is gone, her life is worthless, so why does Aizen need her? Eventual UlquiorraxOC. Grimmhime.
1. Expression

New Story Time. I know, this is SOOO not the best time in the world for me to make another story in my packed schedule, but this idea would NOT get out of my head. So I put my fingers on the keyboard and the first chapter pretty much wrote itself. It's such a good storyline...ooooh! I can't wait to really dig into this one! But honestly, I won't be updating my Kingdom Hearts stories as much as this one. I'm sort of...disinterested in them both. FOR NOW! If I get a major response to both those stories in the future, I'll continue them as fast as I can. No promises right now though.

Bleach Tite Kubo

_I am nothing._

_I am nobody._

_I exist to serve the master Aizen._

_I am his slave; I live for his purposes only._

_I live for his patience, pleasures, and permanence._

_I live for Aizen-sama._

_I have no other desire._

**Chapter 1 – Expression**

Hueco Mundo has existed since the world changed. It has always been there, but it was only recently discovered by living souls. Within this separate world, there live the beings called hollows. These oddly shaped creatures are souls that were devoured by hatred and evil among other things. In return for their unpleasant lives, these beings are gifted with strange powers and an inhuman appearance. Like normal humans, they each have different personalities. Each has a distinctive mask that is worn over the face, hiding their ghastly looks. But, very few of these hollow will advance to a race called Arrancar. The hollow that achieve this stage have pulled their mask away and most have gained their human exterior. However, they also acquire massive amounts of power.

Not long ago, in another world called Soul Society, a heaven of sorts, there was an uprising. A Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads rebelled and escaped from Soul Society. He and two other captains placed their residence in Hueco Mundo, whilst enlisting the help of the arrancar. The first captain, Aizen Sosuke, began creating arrancar of his own. Eventually, he had his own army. Now they were preparing to take on Soul Society.

* * *

Padded feet flew down the hallway. There seemed to be more than one person, as the steps echoed far more than once. Heavy breathing accompanied these people as they whisked past white walls and marble floors. Where they were going was unknown. Several poked their heads out of adjacent doors to observe the commotion.

A young fraccion (an underling arrancar) briskly cascaded down the halls. She was light on her feet but it was obvious she had traveled a long distance. Long black hair sailed behind her and her white and black clothing silhouetted in the dark.

With the strength of a hundred hollow, she burst through the largest doors in Las Noches. She knew she was breaching the privacy of her lord and creator, but this was urgent. She'd be rewarded graciously for bring such important news.

"Aizen-sama!" She only glanced at her leader before quickly approaching the floor. She spoke while respectfully kneeling in his presence: "Please excuse my ignorance, Aizen-sama!"

"Not at all." Aizen Sosuke, the former fifth division captain, sat gracefully on a stone chair. It didn't at all look comfortable, but Aizen made it seem like the King himself would envy that throne. "Tell me, what is so imperative that you must open my doors so loudly?"

The fraccion very slowly raised her head, finally looking at her creator. In his hand was a cup of mint tea; he held it as if he were the great Hamlet, holding the infamous skull. His light brown curls were pushing back except for one lone sliver that refused to stay behind his forehead. Aizen was the reflection of godliness, but because of those scheming eyes, all were cautious around him.

"My master, a shinigami has been found on our outer borders, unconscious but alive." Shinigami were the death gods of Soul Society. They kept the peace by defeating hollows and other disturbed spirits. She knew that her lord had once been one of the shinigami but he had infinitely more power.

Aizen seemed unperturbed by the female fraccion's words. From beneath the shadows, she saw Aizen's associates Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen hiding. These two captains had rebelled along with Aizen-sama nearly a month before. She had no problems with Tosen-sama, but Ichimaru was another matter. He always had a sly smirk on his face that disturbed most of the arrancar greatly.

"Yes, I know."

"Master?"

"She has been there for at least a hundred years. We've been studying her."

"M-Master, pardon my intrusion, but if you knew, why not tell us?"

Aizen sneered so lightly that the fraccion wasn't sure if she had even seen it. "You had no need to be told."

The fraccion held her stance for a moment; so much for a reward. She bowed her head low, a hair's breadth away from touching the floor. "I understand Aizen-sama, a thousand apologies for interrupting you."

Sipping from his tea, Aizen said, "Eventually she will need to be brought to Las Noches for further tests. When that time comes, I will need assistance. Will you be willing, young fraccion?"

"Y-yes, Master Aizen. Anything to please you."

"Very good." With those last words, the female knew the conversation was over. But, in her mind, the questions about this shinigami were overflowing. Who would keep a shinigami in a place like Hueco Mundo on purpose?

* * *

"It's been a terribly long time since you've seen a human face, isn't it?" Gin tenderly caressed the cheek of the young shinigami. Her face was wrapped with bandage after bandage, keeping her mouth in check. This in turn gave the former 3rd Division captain free reign over her smooth skin. Her black, raven hair fell to her shoulders and she wore the typical Soul Society clothes; a black hakama with a white sash. Her zankpakuto, her spirit sword, was nowhere to be found.

She jerked as much as she could, struggling to get away from his touch. "There's no need to be frightened. I won't hurt you." Gin could only smile. His face was twisted into that solid grin; very rarely would it frown and only when he was extremely unhappy. And, he had to admit, seeing this girl squirm did make him cheery.

"So you say that she's been in Hueco Mundo for over a hundred years?" Kaname Tosen asked Aizen far above the ground floor. They were observing Gin and the young shinigami from the throne level. Even though Tosen was blind, he could still hear Gin's taunts and gestures from this height.

"Yes, it seems so," Aizen answered.

"But how is that possible?"

"We'll soon find out."

Gin ceased his prodding for a few moments. "I'd like ta know just how she survived all those hollows runnin' around. If they'da known there was a scrap of meat just laying around, she woulda been gone by now." Gin's accent was prominent, but not enough to be annoying. He only spoke without it when he was interrogating.

"It is surprising. She must have a way of disregarding them; completely hiding herself if need be," Tosen said. Gin turned to stare hard at their captive, his face like a boy who'd just received coals for Christmas – confused and disappointed. To his surprise, the girl fainted before him.

"Well _that_ just ruined my fun."

Aizen laughed in the background. "Have one of the Espada take her to a room. Make her comfortable. I'll have Szayel take a look at her in the morning."

"No prob," Gin said. As if mentally commanded, an arrancar stepped through the massive white gates of Aizen's throne room.

"You called, Aizen-sama?" The arrancar appeared to be no more than flesh and bones. His white hakama hung lifelessly off his body, but flew effortlessly out the back. He was paler than a skeleton could boast with hair blacker than night itself. Large green eyes peered out of that body, awaiting their next command.

"I did; I appreciate your quick response." Aizen's eyes flashed at one of his most trusted arrancar. "Please place this girl in a comfortable room near the library. Make sure she's released from those bonds as well."

"Understood, Aizen-sama." The Espada knelt down, and fluently lifted the shinigami off the floor. His face showed no contortions at the extra weight while he placed her over his shoulder. It wasn't his place to question the orders of his master; he merely followed the call of duty. He had no other purpose.

"Thank you, Ulquiorra."

* * *


	2. History

* * *

New chapter already. Yay!

I've decided ahead of time that there will be some side Grimmhime. I absolutely adore the pairing. So all you who aren't in favor of the Ulquiorra/OC pairing, there will be Grimmhime in the future.

BleachTite Kubo

_In the shadows I haunt,_

_In the darkness I hide,_

_Tell me what you want,_

_Power…or genocide?_

**Chapter 2 - History**

Laughter followed Ulquiorra down the hallway. Several gasps, a few jealous remarks, but mostly laughter. Apparently, the sulky Espada was never expected to have a woman slung over him.

He ignored them all. Nothing irritated him more than misinterpreted orders, and this was an instance where nearly everyone misinterpreted them. He'd had no choice but to lift her up. Otherwise, he would've had to drag her. And _that_ would've indeed been a sight to behold.

He preferred the humiliation at times. It proved his willingness to suffer for Aizen-sama. Ignoring the other arrancar came naturally.

Now, he had to decide where to place the female. He disliked carrying a being with such little relevance, but he had been told to give her a room. And give her a room he shall.

The closest empty room was at least a hundred yards away. Ulquiorra would have to bear the taunts for a while.

He felt the female's head hit his back on several occasions. It wasn't particularly painful; just bothersome. A shinigami was bothersome anyway, especially when it came in close contact. This was definitely in that category.

But it wasn't too much farther to the room so Ulquiorra didn't give the female much thought. This would probably be all he would see of her, especially if Szayel ended up having his way. The girl would be poked and prodded for years to come.

Upon reaching the room, the entrance – a tall, ghost-white door – didn't block him for very long. A slice of light from a barred window gave the room a gloomy feel; almost like the rest of Las Noches. He decided to let the shinigami keep some of her dignity so, instead of throwing her on the floor as he'd originally planned, he laid her on the only couch the room had to offer. He was careful not to ruffle his hakama too much in the process.

As soon as the woman reached the furniture, she turned over and grabbed at the nearest reddish-brown pillow. Ulquiorra observed her movements, expecting her to wake up, only to faint again after seeing him. But the girl seemed rather exhausted.

"Staring, Ulquiorra? That's not like you."

What a forgetful voice; definitely not something he liked to hear first thing in the afternoon.

Ulquiorra turned to see a large man standing in the doorway. His hakama consisted of nothing but a white jacket and flared slacks, leaving his muscled chest open for scrutiny. A heavy scar careened down from his neck all the way to his hip. Blue-green marks on the sides of his eyes accentuated his features while a gaping hole filled his stomach; the hole of a true hollow.

"I'm merely dropping her off, Grimmjow. It's none of your concern."

The teal-haired Espada scratched at his jaw-line as he spoke. He ignored the large rack of jagged hollow teeth covering his cheek. "Fuck off man; I just wanted to see what she looked like."

"Leave, Grimmjow," said Ulquiorra with force in his voice.

"Whatever." Flicking his hand in a mock wave, Grimmjow left with a smug look on his face. Ulquiorra knew there'd be much to answer for later.

* * *

Shuhei heaved a large slab of oak wood over his shoulders, making sure it was balanced before walking. A disorganized pile of sticks, logs and bark lay in a wheelbarrow in front of him. He quickly added the oak piece to the stack.

The shinigami stood straight then bent his back till it cracked. It was a gorgeous day in Soul Society and the lieutenant had decided to take advantage of the weather. The homey fireplace back in his room had run out of wood weeks ago and he hadn't found the time to restock. He considered having a fellow shinigami take care of it, but Shuhei Hisagi preferred the peace that came with log-cutting. And the exercise didn't hurt either.

Clouds whispered by, pressed on by light, cool breezes. Shuhei closed his eyes and breathed deeply, taking it all in…

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant!"

…And letting it all back out. _There's always someone who has to stop by_, he thought.

"Lieutenant Hisagi!" A small, boyish shinigami ran up to him and stopped just long enough to pant for breath. Wrapped securely across his back in a blue sling was an old fashioned med kit. "Lieutenant…sir!"

"Calm down, Yamada. You're starting to hyperventilate."

Hanataro Yamada nearly keeled over as Shuhei spoke, but righted himself just in time.

"Sir," Hanataro squeezed out once last pant before starting again. "Izuru Kira of Squad 3 would like to speak with you. He and Lieutenant Matsumoto are waiting for you at Squad 10's food lounge. They insist that you come quickly."

"Nice to know, Yamada. Thanks for telling me."

"Sir!" The petite boy stood anxiously at attention. Shuhei couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't be so nervous! I'm not going to bite!" With a smile on his face, Shuhei organized the wood so it wouldn't fall out of the barrow while he pushed it.

"I-I know that sir. I just don't…"

"Feel comfortable?" Hisagi answered for him. Hanataro froze. "It's okay! I should be used to it by now. But there's no need to be intimidated by me, alright? Just because I'm higher up doesn't mean I'm evil."

"S-sure, Hisagi-san."

"That's more like it." A sudden thought entered his head, completely out of nowhere. "Yamada, why'd they send you? Don't they have someone in their squads to run errands for them?"

"Well, yes, but miss Matsumoto insisted that I tell you personally. And lieutenant Kira wasn't exactly paying attention."

"That makes sense. Thanks again, Yamada." Shuhei balanced the out-of-date cart with both hands and headed back towards town. Hanataro had already begun to run off.

"You're welcome sir!"

_Well, if Matsumoto and Kira are together, I'm almost positive sake is involved._ But even the prospect of sake peeked Shuhei's interest, and he picked up his speed.

* * *

"Hisagi! Give your buddies a hug!"

Matsumoto Rangiku ran headlong into Shuhei, her massive breasts bouncing as she went. The lieutenant of Squad 3, Izuru Kira, sat on a traditional long-table behind them holding a cup in his hands. Everyone else in the room minded their own business.

"Yes, hello to you to, Matsumoto." Shuhei glanced at Kira with a 'help me!' look as Rangiku smothered him. Kira held up his hands in immediate defeat.

"You've missed so much sake Hisagi! Darn Yamada, little man just can't run fast enough!" Matsumoto placed her small hands over her large hips. "Well, now that you're here, we might as well start drinking!"

"Not too much for me today. I'm trying to cut back."

The look on Matsumoto's face could never be duplicated. It was a mix between shock, annoyance, and laughter; like she couldn't decide which one to use.

So she ignored him instead, ordering a large round of alcohol for the three of them.

Shuhei decided to start in on a real conversation once they were all seated. Kira didn't seem too drunk, so he started with him. "So, how is Squad 3 holding up without a captain around?"

"Fairly well, actually," Kira said. "They seem pretty taken with me as a substitute for now."

"That's probably a good thing. Maybe you'll be the next one up for promotion," implied Matsumoto. Despite her drunken state, she barely sloshed her words.

"No way. I'd never assume that kind of responsibility."

"I feel the same way," Shuhei cut in. His former captain, Tosen, had been a calm, thoughtful leader. The idea of replacing such a role model was extremely intimidating. "It will work fine for now, but I could never handle something so permanent."

"Exactly! If it hadn't been for Captain Ichimaru's absence, I could've…" Izuru fell silent. Ichimaru had been close to a brother figure for him. It was still hard to imagine he, of all people, had disobeyed the ancient laws.

Even though it had only been a month since the rebellion in Soul Society, it still was clear in the minds of nearly everyone who witnessed it. Three of the Gotei Thirteen's captains had decided, out of the blue, to revolt. According to the investigators, the act of destroying Soul Society from the inside out had been planned for years; possibly even centuries. It took only a day for that world to be turned upside down. Chaos erupted when ryoka entered the city, but it was all part of the traitor Aizen's intricate designs. It had all happened so quickly, and many were still tinkering with their mistakes from that day; figuring out what went wrong, where it had happened, how they could fix it.

However, past situations could be changed, and Aizen was at that very moment plotting a future domination.

It was quiet with the lieutenants as they all reminisced. That day was both far and near for them.

"I never really took Aizen for the overtaker type," Matsumoto said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes, well. None of us did."

Kira slammed his sake cup on the table, its contents flooding out. Without a glance to either lieutenant, he left the café with depression on his face.

"It's probably going to take Kira longer to recuperate than anyone else," said Shuhei after the blonde had disappeared. Matsumoto sighed in agreement. She hadn't had to endure a captain's rebellion; after all, Toshirou Hitsaguya was still loyal to Soul Society. But she did have to endure a good friend rebelling. Ichimaru had been the one to find her when she was lost, scared, and alone. It seemed so very long ago, but Gin had once been a kind soul. She hadn't seen that side of him for centuries; now she probably never would.

With her drunken state nearly passed, Rangiku spoke again, "Have you ever lost someone, Hisagi? Someone so close to you, you'd give anything for their safety."

_Odd question._ "I think everyone has, Matsumoto. Living the way we do, as soul reapers, we have a dangerous line of work. We lose someone almost daily. It's hard not to lose friends."

"But I don't mean old friends, Hisagi. I mean your closest friend; someone who holds a special place in your heart."

Hisagi tinkered with the question before answering. Had he truly lost an extraordinary someone? But if he had, why couldn't he remember them?

"I'm not sure if I have or not. Many have come and gone over the years, I really can't be certain."

"…That's too bad."

"What about you? Have you lost someone in particular?"

Matsumoto's face fell, and rose again with a fake smile plastered on it. "Several…over time."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Their memories still live on. I'm not too upset about it, because they wouldn't want me to be."

_That makes good sense,_ Hisagi thought. Men and women trailed back and forth around their table, only pausing to glance and then keep walking.

"Well, I'd better be off. I'll never hear the end of it if I don't finish Hitsaguya's paperwork."

"Good luck," Hisagi said mockingly.

"…You too."

Please review guys! I see that a bunch of people read the first chapter, but didn't say if it was good or not! Remember, authors need criticism to improve! Help me out!

And major thanks to itachi-hates-you (awesome name btw, ;D ) and xenocanaan for reviewing earlier. You rock guys!


	3. Experiment

Took me pretty long to finish up this one. But I like it, and that's all that matters. Hope you like it too! Bleach Tite Kubo. R&R please! I know you can read this!

* * *

_Night falls upon the waste,_

_Darkness, devastation, despair,_

_They fill us all,_

_With their mindless flow of energy,_

_Making us feel, making us feel,_

_Death._

**Chapter 3 – Experiment**

A pale moon dabbed the sky with her milky color. The stars had blinked out, leaving nothing but shadows and white light. For a long time, Hueco Mundo was quiet. Not even the small hollows that scurried in the undergrowth were moving that night. It was peaceful, yet the mature arrancar knew it was merely a prelude to something bigger. A quiet darkness never predicted something pleasant.

Nearly a month had passed since the child shinigami had been captured. She had fainted out of fear, and then taken to quiet room. Aizen let her rest for the night before placing her in their resident scientist's care. An entire building was given to this one man, and his experiments ranged from the exciting to the horrific.

Down, deep in the dungeon-like building, Szayel Aporro Granz held tweezers in his hand and a needle pin in his mouth. A single light illuminated the whole room, complete with metallic desks and doctor's utensils. In the middle of it all was the woman that was causing pandemonium among the arrancar. She was asleep of course, with her midnight black hair fanned out over the table. She had been asleep ever since Gin frightened her. It was much easier than Szayel simply knocking her out with tranquilizers.

Brushing back his cherry pink hair, Szayel continued to pluck at her pale skin with the tongs. He, like Ulquiorra, immediately noticed how little spiritual pressure she had. It was no more than an animal at best. How could a creature so petty be so important?

He had been examining the child for weeks. Szayel had deprived her of any covers so he could inspect her more easily. Her near perfect body was openly exposed for the world to see. He guessed her age at around 100; normal for most young soul reapers. Her eyes wore heavy dark circles underneath them, indicating a massive lack of sleep. Skin like hers hadn't been seen for years; she was lighter and fairer than a china doll could boast. Her only blemish, as far as Szayel could tell, was a peculiar tattoo on her lower hip.

_What significance could such a strange number be for her? A 6…and a 9…_

In the gloom, one of the fracion in Szayel's service picked meticulously at her discarded clothing. He was filling up a bottle with leathery pieces of fabric, checking his work so as not to miss a single piece.

These pieces of fabric were what held Szayel's interest. Even though the child herself emanated very little reiatsu (spiritual pressure), these pieces did. It was as if they each held a part of her within them. But how was something like that possible?

"Is progress being made with the shinigami?"

Szayel sighed, rolling his eyes into the back of his head. "Perfect time for an interruption," he muttered. Then, putting on a happy face, he turned to face his intruder.

Ulquiorra stood in the dim of the light, deliberately avoiding it. His eyes gleamed within the shadows, casting a glow of their own.

"Predictably." Szayel waved his arms over and under his head, making a spectacle of him. But his grace remained intact. "She's still in a coma of sorts, so I've had a delectable time poking at her." He smiled evilly, revealing perfect white teeth.

The 4th Espada walked slowly to the table, ignoring the bright light above him. The woman's state of undress didn't appear to affect him; he merely stared blankly at her face. Even he noticed the ghostly color of her skin; it mimicked his own.

Gesturing at the lifeless mannequin, Szayel said, "I have dubbed her the Kabenro-zu, the Rose Petal project."

"Explanation," Ulquiorra asked. _If she is to do nothing but sleep for weeks on end, why bother naming her at all? She is useless, except as food for the lowest level hollow._

The pink headed Espada twitched with surprise. "Didn't you notice?" _This creature received fourth rank in Aizen's army? What a waste,_ he criticized in the corner of his mind. If it were another arrancar, he probably would've voiced his opinion out loud, but Ulquiorra never did take rejection well.

Szayel reached around for a small tube containing the black, feathery fabric. There were several of them floating within the same bottle. "I found hundreds of these encrusted onto her skin, in her hair, her clothes. I'm still examining them, but so far there's been nothing to infer that they are anything other than ordinary rose petals. Ergo, the Kabenro-zu."

Ulquiorra motioned for the tube and Szayel reluctantly gave it to him. He shook it, making the petals flutter.

…_Interesting…_

"Does Aizen-sama know of this?"

The scientist shook his head. "I have yet to make the report." Szayel clicked his fingers over the metal of his desk, impatient to have his precious petals back.

Ulquiorra took one last look at the tube; he couldn't place the strange feeling he was having. When he first saw the petals, he was simply curious. But now, he could feel their reiatsu, and became suspicious.

Szayel was getting edgy. He usually didn't allow anyone to handle his pieces for so long. The porcelain Espada noticed his brother's annoyance, and handed the petals over.

"He'll be expecting a statement for this, as well as a thorough description of her anatomy."

"Fair enough, my brother. It'll be a pleasure." Szayel made a mock bow, his hollow-fied glasses falling half an inch down his perfect nose.

The 4th ignored him, walking briskly to the exit. His coat tails carelessly wafted behind him. He didn't even notice Szayel crack his fingers over the table top. The Kabenro-zu lay beneath, and the scientist was eager to spread his hands over her lengthy body. He was _always_ thorough.

* * *

A delectable scent of ash and fire filled the morning air. Smoke sailed over the city, flying with the wind as if it were riding a magic carpet. A very light trace of dew lay just above it all, like the icing on the cake.

_Fire somewhere. Probably rained last night, too._

Kurosaki Ichigo, a 15-year-old with bright orange hair, strolled peacefully through his home of Karakura Town.

_Hasn't been a hollow around for some time now,_ he thought. _Maybe I can take a break._

As most of the death gods in Soul Society knew, Ichigo was no ordinary teenager. He was obviously human, but in his spare time, he was known as a substitute shinigami. He destroyed the occasional hollow, worked on his techniques, and sparred with his friends every now and then.

However, Ichigo's secret training with the Vizard was currently controlling his schedule. He had reached bankai, and even though that was an impressive achievement, he needed to be stronger. Faster. Better; so much better than he was now. It was his only way of successfully defeating Aizen.

"Ichigo!"

_I know I was _forced_ into that bastard Shinji's group, but how else was I supposed to master my inner hollow? The Vizards may have illegally gotten their powers, but right now they're the only ones who know how to control them. _

…_The Hollow inside me; every time I fight, he's just dying to get out. I have to rule him; I have to be the one on top; I have to-_

"Oi, Ichigo! Are you even listening to me?" A petite girl with bouncing black hair pulled up beside him. She had a light backpack slung over her shoulders and wore a perky yellow sundress.

"Rukia? What do you want? I thought you were heading back to Soul Society."

Rukia Kuchiki looked Ichigo up and down. It had been so long since she turned the boy into a soul reaper. Sometimes she felt like she was playing babysitter, but other times he was a true friend. He had, of course, helped save her from an unnecessary execution. As usual, Ichigo's bland jogging clothes betrayed his boredom.

"Soul Society doesn't need me just yet. I thought we could have dinner or something."

Ichigo just stared at her. "Excuse me? Did you get hit on the head or something?"

"No, you idiot! I thought I'd do something nice for you for a change!"

"Well fine!" A nerve popped in Ichigo's forehead. After all this time, fights between him and Rukia came naturally.

A pouting Rukia crossed her arms and turned away from him. "Besides, Renji's paying tonight and I figured I'd do a good deed by inviting you."

"…Who's coming?"

"Renji, me, Captain Hitsuguya, Matsumoto, and you if you decide to tag along."

_Dinner? Since when are they all so nice?_ "…I'll think about it. Catch you later, okay?"

"Sure." Rukia watched Ichigo turn away from her and head back toward home. His bright hair was so easy to see, even from a large distance.

"Something's wrong. Ichigo's never so cold," she whispered to herself. It was true; Ichigo had the most buoyant personalities she could think of. It wasn't normal for him to blow off free food, either. "Oh well, maybe it's just a phase."

In reality, as Ichigo was heading home, he could hear the maniacal laugh of his evil side, taunting him after every step.

Reviews? Please! I know you're reading this, guys, so help a girl out!

Check my bio for some updates too.


	4. Conscious

I was considering making this chapter much much longer, but hey, it leaves me plenty of room for another chappy. If you guys prefer longer chapters, please let me know and I will make the next one longer.

Thanks be to my reviewers! Please keep them coming! Tite Kubo Bleach

* * *

_Light fading, Wind hesitating,_

_Teeter on the edge of nothing,_

_Wait, and See._

_Endure the darkness, Become the timeless,_

_Wait, for salvation is upon you,_

_You._

_And I._

**Chapter 4 - Conscious**

Light broke through the girl's pale eyelids. She could just barely see through them; like a haze waiting to clear. Water flooded her eyes, as they opened for the first time in days.

She flinched in pain; the whiteness of daylight blinded her. Black threads of hair strayed over her vision. Her skin felt warm, yet ice cold, like the frost in winter receiving its first taste of sun. Attempting to move, a nervous ache shot through her limbs. They hadn't moved in so long, her muscles had settled into permanent positions. Now she felt old, very, very old, as she creaked and groaned just trying to lift an arm.

Her first reaction was to shield herself from this horrendous light. She closed her eyes, wanting so badly to drift back into that dreamless state that was sleep. She moaned, craving protection from this wintry frost, this radiance.

"Awake, are we? I hope you won't make too much fuss."

Noises careened into her ears, meaning absolutely nothing to her. They buzzed over her mind but then glided away. She hoped the noise was here to help; to stop the light and stop the cold.

Again she tried to move her arm, but failed terribly.

"You shouldn't try so hard, my dear. It will only make the pain worse for you."

More sounds, things she couldn't decipher. She could only make out the seductive quality the sounds had - the gentle seductiveness she couldn't understand. Still, she continued to work on her eyes, forcibly opening them bit by bit.

A reddish blob hovered over her. No, a pinkish blob. The shape was so difficult to make out.

"Hmm, watery irises. Not a good sign." The silhouette fell away from her, blackness ensued, and she heard noises no more.

* * *

"It's possible she'll be blind for a time. Her eyesight will come back soon, but not for at least three weeks." Szayel procured a heavy pad of paper from his table, writing down his observations in a flowing script.

Ulquiorra looked over the woman, this time with curving disgust. As opposed to other arrancar, he was one of the few that controlled his attitude, temper. Therefore, it was only logical that Aizen would place the child under his supervision. He could handle such a creature, but his irritation was spun from her weakness. She was so frail, so pathetic; he could hardly stand to watch her as she opened her eyes for the first time. He had seen insects walk away from losing limbs; he had seen hollows surviving death-dealing blows. Even his superiors had been through heavy ordeals and endured easily.

_Such a being isn't meant to exist. The natural order doesn't allow it. She will die soon, of that I am sure._

"It's still surprising that she has diminutive strength," Szayel spoke, conversing with Ulquiorra's thoughts. "Since we have no idea what happened to her before she came, it's easy to theorize. Perhaps she was nearly killed, or thrown into a state of comatose of her own free will. She's a very interesting case, to say the least."

"Where is her zanpakuto?" Ulquiorra questioned.

"Ah, yes. Well, do you recall the rose petals?" Ulquiorra nodded. Meanwhile, Szayel waved his hand in the air, gesturing like a mad man. "After some light tests, I realized that the petals could be nothing else. Each of them emanates a strong amount of spirit energy."

"Then why are they not in a sword form?"

"Who knows? It could be the child's fault. Or I could've made a mistake and they aren't her zanpakuto at all." The scientist's face betrayed shock, as if just realizing what he said. He composed himself before continuing. "I highly doubt it though. Either way, it's difficult to say at this point."

_Difficult to say…_ Aizen must have a use in mind for the girl. He wouldn't keep a shinigami here, in his fortress, for no reason. Could she be a lure of some kind? The bait for soul society to catch? But if she was so important, why didn't they rescue her years ago?

_What a waste of space,_ the 4th deemed.

"I've decided to release her for the time being," Szayel said, interrupting Ulquiorra's thoughts. "There is nothing else I can accomplish with a destitute body lying around." Szayel placed his hand under his chin in a thinking position. With a grin tugging at his mouth, the scientist's faded gray eyes stared at the ghostly Espada. The 4th got the hint.

"I'll take care of it."

* * *

Deja-vu. The events of the week before were problematic at best. Now, however, tensions were rising within the hollow world.

Ulquiorra had to grow numb to the idea of a soul reaper within the walls of Las Noches. It was disturbing at times, and frightfully strange at others. The worst of it was that everyone seemed to be affected by her. Outrage, jealousy, selfishness – the arrancar were deeply irritated at her existence. Yet, there wasn't much they could do. As soon as the girl woke, she was to meet with Aizen to determine her fate.

It had been nearly a week, and yet, she still slept. Her pale body didn't look as if it would ever move. It was assumed by everyone that she would become Las Noches' personal statue, if she never woke up. Like a pet that never moved.

The 4th Espada rarely visited the child now. Regardless of her constant sleeping, he was still expected to keep an eye on her. And, during that time, she never changed. She slept in a single position and never moved. The dark circles under her eyes – which should've have receded by now – became heavier and stronger. Nonetheless, she never woke.

That day was like any other day, hence the deja-vu. He could be doing anything else, but no – Ulquiorra was assigned to the girl, and as such, he was expected to watch her. It was his duty and Ulquiorra never failed his duty.

She lay on the first of two couches, concealing her face with her hands. The child's dainty figure had buried itself into the black cushions as if she were trying to hide within its shadows.

He heard her breathing. Moonlight filtered onto her from the high window. Even the ethereal light of the moon could not revive the cursed soul reaper.

Ulquiorra watched, waited. Nothing happened of course. He was just readying himself to leave when he heard her shift.

It was nothing major; just a light change in her breathing pattern. But it was enough for him to hear it and cock his head. He sat back down on the opposing couch then observed her mind unfolding.

Slowly, like the sky after a storm, her eyes opened. They were teary; white with silver streaks and bluish clouds at the edges.

_So she still has no sight,_ Ulquiorra thought.

The child squirmed, obviously not wanting to move. She was on edge, her face scrunched in anxiety. This was either do to the pain she was feeling, or she somehow knew she wasn't home. It took her much longer to finally sit upright, feet on the ground, her hands propping her up. She bent her head low to the ground, as if it strained her neck a great deal. This made sense, since she hadn't lifted her head in months.

She was wary of her new surroundings. Her fingers clutched at the fabric on the couch and she waved her head to and fro, trying to make sense of the weight. She must've realized she was blind because her eyes had closed. Ulquiorra studied every move she made.

Since Ulquiorra had the patience of a hunter, he waited for hours after the girl had awakened, letting her work out the kinks in her muscles. It was rather polite on his part.

Unexpectedly, the child's head lifted. Now that she had moved, Ulquiorra was able to see her better. He deduced that she was much older than she looked. Her grungy black hair parted off to one side, causing it to clump over her head. The moon hit her at a carefully placed angle, and in the light she appeared otherworldly. A stunning eeriness set about her. Her skin was deathly white, but strangely attractive. Her eyes were heavy set in her skull but they had a life of their own. Glassy moonlight reflected off of them, creating the illusion of stars in her eyes.

With those insipid eyes she stared at him, coldly.

_She must've sensed my spiritual pressure,_ he reasoned.

Minutes passed by while they watched each other. It was extremely quiet except for the wind blowing outside. It was odd, being stared at by a blind person. He'd had a similar experience with Tosen, but never like this. Her eyes never released his gaze.

Ulquiorra's patience ran out. "Woman."

She didn't speak. She fixed her eyes on him, ever motionless. Meanwhile, Ulquiorra stood to leave, causing her to stare at the couch behind him instead.

"No."

_She speaks now._

"Please."

It was a revelation for the young soul reaper, considering that it had taken her so long to adjust to her own body. But even though she'd spoke, she still struggled with her words.

"I-I couldn't understand your speech." She fumbled with her fingers but her eyes sought out his reiatsu, catching up with him just a few paces from the door. "I-I'm sorry. I cannot see you."

The child stretched out her hands, feeling the air around her. She held them there, but the strain on her arms was weighing her down. Anxiously her ears searched for his voice, but found nothing. She made no effort to move.

Ulquiorra waited. What was he supposed to do? He'd never experienced such behavior. Moreover, he'd never had to be within reaching distance of a soul reaper that he wasn't allowed to kill. He wanted so badly to reach out to that frail neck of hers, wrapping his white fingers over her white neck, feel the veins pulsing underneath. Maybe even massage her spine before snapping it in half. Such a creature, so easily manipulated, was easy to kill.

He didn't offer any help to her; just watched with a blood lusting mind. She was in the right direction, inclined perfectly to face him. Her faded eyes stared into nothingness, but her hands hunted for something to hold onto. Despite blindness, the child showed no confusion at her new surroundings. Her speech was calm, and her expression unaffected.

_She must think she's been here her whole life_, Ulquiorra theorized.

"Woman."

"Yes?" She dropped her hands at his words.

"You have been influenced by amnesia. Your memory is gone for the time being, so you will remain here, under careful observation. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

_Such a simple mind,_ he mused. "I will come by to deliver sustenance, and I expect nothing but complete compliance."

"Yes."

Ulquiorra dipped his head away from her, ducking out the door. He couldn't stand her stupidity much longer. But if Aizen needed her, he could bear it for a while. At the very least, she was showing some signs of progress. Perhaps it would get better with time. He was interested as to how she'd react once she gained back her eyesight.

"Wait!"

_And yet she continues to speak._ She must've heard his footfalls, even though he was always quiet with his steps. She must've heard him stop walking, too.

"What is your name?" She asked with honest curiosity.

_I shouldn't even answer to her._ Yet, he felt he owed her some small shred of materialism. Even a single name can be important in one's life.

"Ulquiorra Shiffer."

He watched her nod, innocence and purity in her stature.

She trusted him already.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm expecting Ulquiorra to be a really, really difficult character to work with. He's so..._blah_. Well, I can fix that. ;3

Reviews! Like, NOW!


	5. Summons

I don't care what people say; Ulqui's _very_ hard to write. His character is pretty random; either he helps or he doesn't. Simple right? WRONG! Anyway, here's the next chapter. I like a little bit of it, but not a whole lot. Thanks to Oreoz69, bandgeek556, Akemi-Venita (best bud!), and KuroMantra for the reviews on the last chapter. They're always a lovely read!

PS, I'm working on a Tsubasa Chronicle story, so this one may get ignored for a few days. Don't worry, I'll still keep writing it. :3

Bleach Tite Kubo.

* * *

_Break into your mind,_

_Cascade over your skin,_

_What will you find?_

_Come, Come and enter In,_

_The Depths of a reckless mind._

**Chapter 5 – Summons**

Fork, food, mouth. Fork, food, mouth. Fork, food, mouth.

The pattern continued for at least an hour, like the never-ending cycle of the elements. Nothing changed, nothing unexpected, nothing exciting. At first, Ulquiorra thought he would need to teach her how to eat. She had stared at the platter on her lap incredulously, not knowing what to do with it.

"Is this edible?" she had asked.

"How would you know? Your eyes can't see what's in front of you."

"No. But my nose still works properly."

This surprised him; it was the first time the girl had told a joke. He had to admit, though, the food did have a certain odor to it.

The conversation ended, and Ulquiorra waited quietly for the child to finish. He had given her a lengthy, white dress to wear over her pale figure and she had fit into it quite well. It adapted to her every curve, flowing with the grace of a richly made silk. It also covered most of her skin, but v-necked and draped around her shoulders. Similar to Ulquiorra, her dress had coat-tails that quivered with her every move. But despite new clothing, the child looked very lifeless. Her skin had whitened even further, nearly matching the color of the gown.

Ulquiorra realized she had finished eating long ago because she had starting prodding the food, pushing it around and trying to ignore it. He took her plate and left her on the couch.

In the doorway, he said, "I will be back in a few hours. Be ready to leave."

The child's expression didn't change. She nodded but otherwise acted as if he'd never spoke. He had thought the idea of leaving would appeal to her. Ulquiorra now thought he was catering to a blind animal rather than a blind shinigami.

* * *

Several hours later, Ulquiorra opened the large white door, illuminating the soul reaper's new room. She hadn't moved since he left.

"Come."

He waited for her to stand; she wobbled at first, throwing her hands out for balance, but quickly adjusted. Her phantom eyes came up from the floor and glared squarely at Ulquiorra, the expression on her face a complete blank.

He started down the hallway, just a few feet at a time. He watched as the child tested her newfound legs with curiosity. She'd keep her arms up just in case, analyzing the situation before she moved. Despite her difficulty, she never took her eyes off Ulquiorra. Wherever he went, her listless eyes followed. He realized that she had locked onto his spiritual pressure. This enabled her to watch his movements without needing sight; an impressive feat for one who was just learning to walk.

Slowly, quietly, he guided her to the massive duel doors that stood for his lord's chamber. They towered above the shinigami and arrancar, menacing in their height and forceful in their presence. Yet, without a sound, they swung wide, revealing the darkest of dark entrance halls. The inner shadows wavered and collided with each other. An evil presence lurked there, waiting patiently to pounce.

"Welcome, Ulquiorra. Is this the same child?"

"It is, Aizen-sama."

The room itself contained marble walls, marble pillars, and an onyx floor that – despite the obvious lack of interest in home décor – shined with its own brilliance. The musty air hung heavily, causing an unnatural pain for every breath. Sitting, standing, and otherwise slouching along the dull walls lay the twenty arrancar; brothers and sisters, princes and princesses of this hell of a world. The king of the castle sat atop his throne at least three stories above them, with his subordinates at his side.

"Please bring her forward," echoed the gentle, sultry voice, "I'd like a closer look at her."

The child followed Ulquiorra's footsteps closely, not missing a stride. Her hands were cupped in front of her and she held her head low. The blindness of her eyes clearly didn't affect her hearing since she twitched at the smallest sound. The arrancar who hadn't seen her before gasped at her appearance, her unsightly reiatsu, and the general weakness of her. Some jumped to their feet while others grasped their sword hilts, anxious to cut her to pieces. The child heard their shock but paid it no heed. She focused on Ulquiorra's spirit energy and nothing else.

When Ulquiorra stopped, so did the child. She immediately fell to her knees; bowing to the lord Ulquiorra had spoken so highly of these past few days. She had no need to see such a powerful being; she could sense his overpowering, overbearing strength. Even the air was thick with his aura.

No one spoke. The arrancar stood at the ready should the child shinigami try any tricks. They still weren't sure if she was capable of anything. Grimmjow, the acidic arrancar with sky-blue locks, scowled at her. She would just be another annoyance, one that they'd probably have to kill sooner or later. Moreover, a shinigami invading hollow territory like this was enough to make him fume. He gritted his teeth, careful not to lash out at her. He was in enough trouble with Aizen already.

"Ya sure this is the same girl?" spoke the fox of a shinigami, waiting in the eaves of Aizen's platform. Gin's plastic doll smile was forever fixed to his face, frightening even the toughest of children.

"Please everyone, stay your weapons," Aizen spoke. "This woman is no threat to us. Are you, my dear?"

The child lifted her head gingerly, confused and unsure. She had never spoken to someone of high rank before.

"I don't believe so, my lord," she said quietly.

"There. That wasn't so hard," Aizen said, stroking his hair. "Do you wish to stay with us?"

"If it pleases the lord, I shall."

"I would like it very much, young one. But I believe you are missing something very important; a name. How does…Sane, sound to you?"

"Perfect, my lord."

Gin tried very hard not to laugh. Aizen was, and had always been, an extremely good actor. Though this child was on the wrong side in this war, he had persuaded her with only a few words. It had been almost too easy. Tosen, though blind as well, watched quietly from the opposite side of Aizen's throne.

"Szayel, she has no zanpakuto, correct?"

Szayel piped up from the back of the hall, "Not that I have discovered, Aizen-sama. She also will be blind for two to three weeks but this will eventually fade."

"Good. Wouldn't want our newest guest harmed, now do we?" said Aizen. "Her memory is gone, also?"

"Indeed, Aizen-sama."

Gin, ignoring the stares of his pristine comrades, cascaded down the stairs towards the girl. The last time he had spoken to her, she had passed out almost as if on command. It startled him, but didn't shock him. He was known to frighten those with weak stamina. He was mostly interested in the child's reiatsu; his senses were just barely registering her, like a small blip on the map. Did she have enough spiritual pressure to make a difference?

"Hey there," he had said upon reaching her. The child didn't respond, but a barely visible shake rippled through her. Though she couldn't see him, she recognized him – the one whose sheer existence had frightened her to the breaking point. She laced her fingers tightly together and waited for Aizen or Ulquiorra to interfere.

"Why are ya so scareda me? I won't hurt ya." For a moment, she almost believed him. There was a subtle truth hidden in his words that could easily be mistaken for lies. She was as confused as ever, praying for someone to drive this conniving snake away from her.

Ulquiorra answered her call. Stepping in front of Gin, he said, "I believe she needs rest."

"Hmph. I jus' wanted ta say hi."

"Take her back to her room, Ulquiorra. She needs to regain her strength."

"Very well, Aizen-sama."

The newly dubbed Sane took her time trying to stand again. She quickly grasped Ulquiorra's reiatsu, and followed him quietly out the massive doors. It wasn't until the last moment that she realized she had forgotten to thank Aizen-sama for his hospitality. She kept this little side-note in the back of her mind for later.

"Dismissed," said Aizen.

One by one, the arrancar filed out. Szayel gave a fracion his leftover papers and retreated with the rest of his hollow family. Meanwhile, Grimmjow scoffed at them. He could've been anywhere today, but no – he had to go to the meeting like everyone else. In his opinion, it had all been a complete waste of his time.

When the last white-clothed prince had left the room, the king's advisor spoke, "So, whatcha plannin' on doin' to her?"

"Watch, Gin," was all he said. "Watch and see."

* * *

The child had fallen into her soothing sleep quickly.

Ulquiorra had waited by her side till she had nodded off, making sure she wouldn't stare at him as he left. She had constantly done this to him, causing him to ignore her as often as possible. Still, whenever Ulquiorra left her alone, he always felt her eyes drilling into his back.

The meeting hadn't lasted as long as he'd thought. Aizen had granted her a name; something she could call her own. Gin had scared her again, but this was nothing new. Even Ulquiorra didn't trust that particular shinigami.

A light crease of her temple and a squeeze of the fingers told him she was dreaming. Whether the dream was pleasant or not, he didn't know. Still, his gaze swept over her. Despite her awkwardness, she had taken quickly to her new surroundings and from what he could see, she felt very much at home. With her memory gone, it had been easy to guide her along. She needed no prodding; just someone to set the path in front of her. After that, she walked on her own.

She bent her legs to her chest and sighed. Her sleep was deep so Ulquiorra saw no reason to stay. He would watch over her, but that was all he would do.

_

* * *

_

Childish laughter. "Nii-sama!"

_A broad smile, disheveled black hair. "Coming!"_

"_Nii-sama, look at this!" Frail, purple wings, cupped in tiny white hands._

_Concern. "Careful with him! They're very delicate."_

_Curiosity. "What is he, nii-sama?"_

"_He's called a hell butterfly. They send messages, help the captains. They're very dear to soul society."_

"_Is he our friend, nii-sama?" Wide, black eyes on a small, round face._

_Another smile. "Of course. But you have to be careful with him."_

"_I will nii-sama! I want to fly like him someday!" Running, pitter-patter of little feet on thick grass. Heavy breezes blow. Purple wings follow._

_Sadness._

"_She's so young…"_

* * *

**A/N:** Btw, the centered text is a dream sequence.

Don't forget to review folks! I know, and you know, that the stories with more reviews get more readers! So review! Thanks!


	6. Link

This is a relatively short chapter since I couldn't think of much else to write for it. XD

More next time!

Bleach Tite Kubo

_Impersonator, Intruder, Imposter,_

_Existing among us,_

_Breathing among us,_

_Alive among us,_

_Get out._

_Stranger, Get Out._

**Chapter 6 – Link**

Sweat pooled on the ceramic, perfectly black floor. Underused muscles flexed, tendons popped and broke. Bruises had become commonplace but the pain itself was tolerable.

The child shinigami bent over herself again, her fingers grabbing the back of her ankles. She felt her hamstrings pull and shriek at the sudden movement. Holding herself steady for several minutes took more strength than she thought she had. After this exercise had been completed, she stretched onto her stomach and leaned her head backwards. Her abdomen was straining and the sweat continued to roll. She felt a few vertebrae in her spine crack and straighten with the force.

"Higher."

Sane complied, lifting her back a few more inches despite the sting. It made her arms quiver.

"Hold."

Far in the corner, hidden by the deep recesses of darkness, Ulquiorra commandeered Sane's movements. He had been charged with restoring her body's functions. Aizen noticed the child's joints and muscles steadily failing over the past few days, so physical therapy was ordered. The 4th Espada only had to endure two hours a day with the child.

"Next."

The girl edged into a sitting position. Folding her hands behind her head, she started crunching her stomach muscles together, up and down repeatedly.

The initial treatment had been unbearable for shinigami and hollow alike. Her screams had echoed for hours. He relished in those screams, the verbal enunciation of her pain. He bathed in them, hoping they would last for hours. It was a parade of heavenly cries for mercy. Yet, Ulquiorra's experience was marred by having to touch the child. She had so much trouble moving her own body, he'd had to pull, snap, and drag her into the positions that would restore her movements. Every time he touched her skin, the blood underneath would taunt him, pleading with him to tear her open and discover what lay within.

Now he no longer could hear her pangs of distress, nor did he have to touch her. The therapy was working and Sane was making steady progress.

Ulquiorra quickly found that the child was easy to manipulate. He'd only had to practice the exercises with her once but she was able to do it on her own after that. She was extremely simple, but a quick learner.

Instead of watching the woman gain strength, Ulquiorra passed the time by meditating. He vigorously mulled over what Aizen wanted with the soul reaper. He had come up with many theories, but unless he knew more about the child, he wasn't going to get far. The girl was a complete mystery. Yet, now that she had a name, it appeared that Aizen had no intentions of discarding her anytime soon.

_What a pity,_ thought Ulquiorra, _It's been so long since I've seen a soul reaper's blood._

* * *

"She is a ruler of time."

"And what exactly do you mean by that, Aizen-sama?"

Of all the voices within Las Noches, Aizen's was the most prominent of all. Even an emperor couldn't stand up to the illustrious presence he could create in an instant. Naturally, though, he was the self-appointed king of Las Noches.

"Exactly what I said, Tosen." The meeting place Aizen had chosen was secure, and lacking with their associates. A long table with ten chairs and one at the head lay in the center of the room, with the king taking the head chair. Tosen stood respectfully to the side, listening to the mastermind reveal his plan. Using his immense reiatsu, Aizen was sure to keep any intruders away. "A soul reaper with…_useful_ abilities has finally come to us."

Tosen ignored the blow to his pride. "But Aizen-sama, she has no power. Or even have a zanpakuto. Having her here is provoking nothing but conflict among our warriors. She-"

"Do you deny my authority, Tosen? Or perhaps you'd like to add to the plan."

"N-no, of course not Aizen-sama," he said hurriedly.

"That's wonderful to hear; it'd be rather difficult for your opinions to affect a plan you know nothing about," said Aizen, rising from his seat to walk to the nearest window. "Gin, are you there?"

Appearing from the shadows, the picturesque fox made his way to the same window. Of course, Aizen had sensed Gin's spiritual pressure from the beginning. The silver fox had never been the best at masking his reiatsu. Tosen, however, could restrain his completely.

"You rang?"

"Indeed I did. Have you been listening to my conversation?"

"I have, Your Grace," Gin replied, using the nickname he'd been wanting to try out. "But if it doesn't involve me, I'll gladly step off."

"It involves both of you."

"Oh really?" Gin folded his hands inside robe, focusing his attention on Aizen's words. "And what might you be refferin' too?"

"The child shinigami," began the king. As he always had done before, Aizen kept a warm smile on his face while he spoke. His reasoning behind it was, even though many found it disconcerting, the smile assured the weaker minded that he was friendly. He believed it soothed their hearts at seeing, not an evil dictator, but someone willing to provide a home. "She is a valuable asset; one I don't wish to see harmed."

"That why you put her with Ulquiorra-san?" asked Gin.

"That was part of it, yes." Tosen shifted where he stood. He was eager to hear what his master was planning. Nevertheless, he wouldn't be surprised if it ended up being a hoax to confuse them, but Aizen hadn't pulled that trick out of his hat yet.

"She has the power to control time. Naturally, she can only affect small parts of it, but if she wanted, she could change or even destroy history."

Gin cocked his silver head, curiosity gleaming in his bright red eyes. "Hmm."

"How do you plan on implementing this child's power, Aizen-sama?" asked Tosen.

"Simply."

"But she can't really do much right now, ya know?"

"Time itself shall change that. Her mind is extremely simple, so bending her to our will won't be a challenge. Ulquiorra is in the process of modifying her physical body. The alterations to her brain will be conducted at the same time."

"Oh I get it," said Gin, flicking his pointer finger in the air, "You want her ta think she's one of us, eh?"

"Once she accepts this, her reiatsu will come back with time. We only need time."

"What about those petal things? Has Szayel-san figured out what they are yet?"

"His theory points to a retractable zanpakuto, similar to Captain Kuchiki's. If this is true, we'll have to keep them away from her. Any contact between zanpakuto and soul could cause an unstable reaction."

"True, true."

When silence was incurred, none of the former soul reaper's attempted to speak. Quiet and peace went hand in hand. So whenever silence could be afforded, peace arose as well. Peace had an amazing effect on anyone who took the time to experience it.

"Sane," whispered Aizen, speaking to himself. "Spatial atmospheric-age negation entity." _Yes, child; you will prove useful to my plans after all. Let's hope that your weak body is up the task._

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! Don't worry, I'll do a longer chapter next time. :3


	7. Resonate

This entire chapter focuses on Sane. I mean, come on; I couldn't go too long without having some character development. I actually hated this chapter when I first wrote it out (I still kinda hate it) because it makes Sane a bit mean, but that's not who she really is. Trust me. And thanks to all you folks who reviewed for me! I love reading them!

Next chapter is for Ichigo & co. so look forward to it. :D

Bleach Tite Kubo.

_Refuse the obvious by blinding the truth,_

_Carry that weight, for the truth belongs to you._

**Chapter 7 – Resonate**

_Ulquiorra-sama, why haven't you visited?_

Sane's room had become uncommonly quiet in the past few weeks. She had nearly gotten used to seeing other arrancars besides her normal guardian. Everyday, when hunger began to gnaw at her, there'd be a knock on at the door almost on cue. And every time, she expected Ulquiorra to be the one who walked in.

Recently, it had been the lower fraccion delivering her food. She was always patient, since some of the fraccion weren't always on time.

_You have taught me much of this place, Ulquiorra-sama. I've memorized the names of each Espada and fraccion – even Aizen-dono's subordinates. The whole of Hueco Mundo would be my playground if someone would let me out…_

This thought surprised her, as she sat listlessly on her milky-white couch. She'd never had ideas of leaving her room. Ulquiorra had never given her permission, nor even suggested it to her. Previous to this, Sane had never questioned the world outside of her quarters. She'd only ever existed within this cramped, dim, solidified room. Even that short trip to Aizen-dono's chamber was no excuse.

_Maybe I'll just peek out. Ulquiorra-sama hasn't forbidden me to do that._

So Sane did just that. With cautious steps, she wafted to the door. For the first time, that door was huge and overpowering, as if would explode if she dared to touch it. Her arm reached out, inches at a time, to the white expanse of marble. Her fingers extended, adrenaline charging through her heart.

The tip of her nail barely grazed the outer surface. Sane expected some sort of punishment to immediately affect her; a fraccion would show up or the door would electrocute her on contact. But nothing happened. She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

_Please forgive me, Ulquiorra-sama._

Tenderly, she cracked the entrance open. Light flooded into her room like a sudden rising sun.

She peaked through. The hallway stretched to her right and left. She could normally sense the presence of the arrancars, but there was nothing.

_I did it. But, why is there no one here? Someone is always here._

It was unusual for Las Noches to be so empty. She was used to hearing the pacing of an arrancar outside her doorway, like a guard or lookout.

_A meeting perhaps?_

Ulquiorra spoke often about the many gatherings he and the rest of his Espada brethren had to have. Aizen-dono would call the ten strongest of the arrancar together, sometimes for a brief review of the goings-on in Hueco Mundo and other times for no apparent reason.

_Maybe Aizen-dono called all his servants together for a special meeting. But then, why didn't he call me? I serve him, don't I?_

…_Perhaps I should invite myself? I see no reason not to. After all, if all the arrancars are gathering together, I shouldn't be left out. They might have just forgotten to summon me._

Encouraged by these thoughts, Sane planted her small, pale feet outside the door. Curious as she was to see the rest of the building, she had to make it to that meeting. No one should be deprived of Aizen's intoxicating sermons; Sane included.

_If I should get caught, though… No. I won't. I have a first-class excuse for this situation; I merely wish to see Aizen-dono. No one can ignore that type of request. _

Even though Sane had complete confidence in herself, she was still concerned with finding her way around. She had no idea how to find this meeting place. Ulquiorra-sama had described it as a large room with a table filling the expanse and chairs all around.

_Yet, all the arrancars couldn't fit in that one room. Aizen-dono would probably use an arena, similar to the one I first met him in. Maybe they're one in the same… In that case, I should be able to recall the way. I think._

It had been a while since she'd been to that meeting place. But it was the only place she knew of that had enough space for all the arrancars and then some.

_So… Left or right…_

Using the ability she discovered long ago – with no help from Ulquiorra, she was proud to say – Sane opened her senses wide, searching for what everyone around her called reiatsu, or spiritual pressure. Abruptly she felt a random slice of energy coming from the room next to hers. She trotted over to see a door exactly like hers in every way. The energy coming from within was even stronger. First she began probing the entry with her palms. Then, becoming nosy, Sane stuck her ear against it and waited for some sort of clue as to what was inside.

She heard crying.

_Someone else is inside? How did I not know of them before? ...These walls must mask reiatsu, but even so, I've still been able to sense arrancars before. This should be no different…_

…_Unless this isn't an arrancar. But how is that possible? It isn't, is it?_

The sobbing within the room continued. Unknown motherly instincts within Sane made her concerned for this person, or whatever it was.

Curiosity got the better of her. "Hello?"

A muffled response: "Who's there?"

"Who are you?" asked Sane. The voice was distinctly feminine, just a pitch higher than Sane's. "What are you doing here?"

"I… Who are _you_?"

_Whoever she is, she's careful. _"My name is Sane. I live in the room next to yours."

The voice didn't respond.

"…May I come in?"

"No!"

"I won't hurt you. I promise."

"No, please…"

"I can come in without your permission, you know," Sane said. She wrongly assumed an air of authority, but she figured it was the only way to understand the situation in front of her. "But I'm asking politely."

The voice was quiet again.

"…I cannot open the door myself," it said. So, Sane opened it.

A young girl with bright orange hair lay before her. The room was identical to Sane's, yet this girl had been provided with a bed instead of a couch. She was sitting on it now, her hands laced together and her eyes wide with fright. She also wore a white dress, less formal than the one Sane was wearing.

"You're not an arrancar?" she asked nervously.

Sane scoffed, "Yes I am. And what exactly are you supposed to be? Why are you even here?"

"No you're not. You don't feel like an arrancar," said the girl defensively. "You don't have the same reiatsu."

"Insult me like that again, _child_, and I'll have you forcibly removed by way of the window," Sane replied, pointed to the prison bars above the girl's bed, which just happened to drop twenty stories. She was extremely confused at this roughness that emanated from her speech. It was totally new to her, as if her true personality was finally coming out. She hoped this rude, uncaring person wasn't really who she was.

The girl flinched, but then narrowed her eyes, questioning the woman before her. "I am a human, if you must know. And I had no choice in coming here. An Espada kidnapped me."

"You expect me to believe that kind of story?"

"Did I ask you to believe me? If you're an arrancar, you're my enemy. I don't have any say in the matter."

"That's interesting because you seem awfully talkative."

Realizing just how much she was talking, the strange woman grew quiet. Both of them clenched their fists out of frustration. A million questions buzzed in Sane's head, and she suspected the woman was confused as well.

"…So, you say you were kidnapped?"

"…Yes."

"By who?"

"An Espada named Ulquiorra."

"No, no. Ulquiorra-sama wouldn't do that."

"Ulquiorra-_sama_? You know him then?"

"Indeed I do; well enough to know that he would never kidnap someone." _No… He couldn't kidnap this girl. Yet, the evidence is staring me in the face. She must be guilty of felonies against Aizen-dono._ "What did you do to warrant such a thing?"

"I told you, I haven't done anything. I've only been here a few days so I don't even know why I'm here. All I know is I'm in the Hollow world for no apparent reason. I risk death everyday, I suppose."

"Why is that?"

"Hollows kill; I'm surrounded by thousands of them. A human in the hollow world just doesn't happen without blood being spilled."

"Hollows only kill because the soul reapers can't handle their own swords. Justice is being brought upon the universe by Aizen-dono's hands. You humans just happen to be in the mix by a twist of fate."

"The soul reapers kill when necessary. Hollows have destroyed so much of their society that war is obvious," To Sane, the girl seemed very adamant about hollows. Sane, however, could never believe something that contradicted everything Ulquiorra had taught her. "And as for Aizen…he tried to kill one of my closest friends. His version of justice is bringing down the world."

"Don't speak about Aizen-dono that way! He'd never…"

"Yes he would! I know what I'm talking about." The woman got up, suddenly filled with confidence. "Aizen is evil; the hollows are evil. And you are _not_ an arrancar! You feel like…a soul reaper…"

"No! I'm not one of them!" screamed Sane, covering her ears. _This talk…it's treason against Aizen-dono!_

"If you don't believe what I'm saying, then please, leave. We'll both be punished if you stay."

"…I have more questions for you, but I agree; Ulquiorra-sama isn't likely to ignore this."

The woman's eyes fell to the floor as she grew somber again. She seemed so sad, as if she really were a prisoner here. But Sane couldn't believe that. No one was a prisoner here. She was free to go wherever she wanted, wasn't she? The Espada leave when they please. The Hollows have free roam. Why would they lock up an innocent human?

"Just go. Please."

Sane was so curious about this girl. Nervous butterflies swirled inside her stomach. There was something wrong with this, and with everything around her. Could this human…possibly be right?

But Sane left, going back to her room so she could contemplate the scenario before her. As she left, she heard the crying begin again, coming from the human. Sane felt sorry for her, but had her own problems to deal with. What if she was a soul reaper? What if everything she knew was a lie? Maybe they didn't rescue her from death; maybe Aizen…

_No. I will never go against Aizen-dono's word._

…_I know. I'll ask Ulquiorra-sama._ Of all the people in Hueco Mundo, at least she could trust Ulquiorra.

* * *

**A/N:** I still don't like this chapter. Don't know why... CnC please. :3


	8. Pause

I had absolutely no choice in finishing this before Saturday, cause by then I'll be in Florida. Yay!

Anyway, I promised myself it'd be finished before I left, so here it is! Sorta like that last chapter, I think it could be better. But I had to finish! Please don't be mad at me! D:

I planned on having more Ichigo in this, but Shinji stole his limelight. Oops. ;3

Bleach - Tite Kubo

_

* * *

Wait here, for me._

_Wait here, I'll be back for you,_

_Lock your life, fix time in place,_

_I promise, I'll be back for you._

**Chapter 8 – Pause**

Ichigo's plan of instantly running in and saving Orihime was a complete fiasco. No one had supported him when Yamamoto banned him from leaving. No one had his back when he ran out, screaming inside his head. No one had bothered to go after him.

Except one.

Like a guardian angel, Shinji Hirako had watched the Soul Society's transmission from high in the sky. After Ichigo took off from the warehouse, his curious personality just couldn't help but follow him. He knew everything now.

_Can't say I blame him; I'd go after her too…Hime-chan! Why'd you go and leave me?!_

Of course, the kidnapping left Shinji a basket case.

_Hime…Hime…Hime…_

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

_Back in Soul Society…_

"Aizen's captured one of the ryoka?"

"They're not exactly ryoka anymore, Captain."

"Oh. Really? Hmm." Atop one of the many tall buildings in Soul Society, Shunsui Kyouraku lay in his trademark, lazy position. Because the captain had masked his reiatsu, his lieutenant Nanao had searched for hours. Apparently, news traveled slowly when you were no where to be found. "Guess I've been living in the past lately, which isn't a bad thing, you know. Try it sometime, Nanao-chan."

"I'd prefer the present, thank you," she said, adjusted her small glasses. She turned to the equally small notebook in her hand, and read off the rest of the memo. "Apparently, a group in the real world wants to rescue her, but Captain-General Yamamoto forbids it. Captain Ukitake of 13th squad was present at the time."

"So even Jushiro couldn't get in the way of old man Yama," Kyouraku whispered.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing for you to worry about, Nanao-chan. But, just in case, we should probably start getting ready for war."

* * *

The breeze was just right that day. The air smelled fresh, flowers were beginning to bloom. Everything was almost perfect.

Almost.

Despite being surrounded by peace, Hisagi felt so much tension. If a needle were to drop somewhere, everyone in soul society would flinch- that's how bad it felt. Why was sadness flooding soul society? His home – where he'd lived for so many years – was beginning to feel violated. It was the sadness to blame; the sadness Aizen had wrought upon this usually happy world.

The small, unmarked grave in front of Shuhei hadn't been disturbed in years. It was no more than a simple chunk of wood but it would serve as a lasting shrine.

_You made this grave, Captain Tosen, because of your sadness; maybe even out of respect. Is it sadness that made you leave it as well?_

Shuhei had never been told just who it was inside this grave. There wasn't even a name for him to acknowledge. Sitting on his heels Japanese-style, Shuhei bowed low before the mound. _Respect trumps sadness any day,_ he thought.

"Lieutenant Hisagi!"

"Hmm?"

Lower on the hill, a messenger knelt before Hisagi. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but you're required immediately at Captain Ukitake's quarters."

"Captain Ukitake?"

"Yes, sir."

"Interesting," he said. "Alright, tell him I'm on my way."

"Sir!"

The messenger disappeared in an instant. It wouldn't take him long to get back to Ukitake – just a few quick flash steps. Hisagi intended to be right behind him.

"What could the captain want with me?" he said as he stood. The tension Shuhei had felt in the air earlier had grown significantly. Was this some sort of sign? Was there another disaster on its way? He really hoped he was wrong.

Before leaving, Hisagi bowed to the grave again. Even though the spirit within had no name, the dead always deserved respect, and Hisagi never ignored tradition.

* * *

"An arrancar must've gone rogue. Aizen would never pull something like this."

"Indeed. The document itself as well as the method of delivery would suggest just that. But we still have no proof that any of it is even real."

"Hmm, yeah, there is that little problem." After leaving Nanao to fend for herself on a random roof, Shunsui had come to Ukitake. He'd listened intently as Jushiro recited the transmission with the humans and the group of soul reapers in the real world. All of them had been friends, or at least acquaintances, with the girl Aizen took. None of them were happy to hear Yamamoto's decision.

"And even if we show this to the Captain-General, he'd never approve of a rescue mission, especially since he just dismissed the retrieval of a human." After a long walk that day, Jushiro had come back to find a small, crumpled piece of paper on his desk. He could just barely make out the writing, and when he did, he called for the advice his longtime friend.

"But 'cause she's a soul reaper, won't that make a difference?"

"It's doubtful at best."

"That's why you told Hisagi to come over?"

"He needs to know what it says, even if there's no rescue."

"Hmm. So let him know the good news first, eh? I'd rather not tell him at all."

"If it were someone you cared about, you'd want to know too, despite the consequences. Hisagi's completely buried all memory of her; I doubt he even remembers her name. It may not make much of a difference anyway."

"Was it really that bad?"

Jushiro nodded. Living as long as he had, the captain of Squad 13 had developed a good memory. He remembered clearly everything that had happened that day. "Hisagi found her in the eastern district just before he entered the Soul Reaper Academy. She was dying of starvation and he refused to leave her there. Hisagi consented with the Captain-General to adopt her and after being authorized, he kept her with him in Soul Society, acting like her big brother. I remember him saying that he was entering the academy just for her – so he could protect her."

"It's funny; I don't remember much of her either."

"She grew up fast, and followed her brother's footsteps into the academy. Hisagi was never happy with her decision to be a soul reaper, but it something she loved to do. After she graduated, I doubt any of us saw much of her."

"So what happened?"

"A hollow happened. After being given her own mission, the hollow overpowered her entire group. Strangely, her body was never found. The bad part is that based on evidence collected at the scene, the science department thinks the hollow was actually an underdeveloped arrancar."

"No wonder their troop was beaten; they never stood a chance in the first place." Shunsui let out a heavy, depressed sigh. He could only imagine what happened to Hisagi after hearing of his sister's death. "How'd he take it?"

"Not well, as we expected. He completely trashed anything that reminded him of her, including his own memories. To him, his sister's just a leaf in the breeze."

"Then why do you still want to tell him? If he's totally forgotten her, why bother?"

"Because I still believe he truly and deeply knows his sister is alive. Hisagi has always held hope more readily than the rest of us, so I don't think he's given up. Somehow, he believes that she's still right there next to him, getting him through the day. His sister is alive, Shunsui, and he needs to know."

The warmth of the sun flushed into Ukitake's quarters, bringing heat and comfort to the two captains. A subtle wind flew through the open doors and rustled the trees outside. Jushiro turned in the sun's direction, but hesitated when he saw the massive shadow in the doorway.

There Shuhei knelt, his jaw dropped and shock in his wide eyes.

"W-What…What did you say?"

* * *

**A/N:** Whelp, I hope you all liked that! It's pretty short, but I hope to do more in the next one. Maybe even a little more Grimmy too...

Don't expect it too quickly though; Florida in two days! Woot! but ish a little wary of those stupid hurricanes

Please review everyone! Even if you hate it, I'd like to hear your opinion! Thank you!


	9. Consequence

**A/N:** My gosh, I am SOOOO sorry for getting this chapter in so late. I am very mad at myself, I promise you that. D:

Anyway, forgive me major because this chap is very half-assed on my part. I criticized and criticized my work, but it never sounded right. Oh well...hopefully you guys will like it.

Bleach - Tite Kubo

* * *

_Oh sacred moon,_

_Goddess of the night,_

_Forgive your servant,_

_As I spill blood tonight._

**Chapter 9 - Consequence**

"You left your room."

"I did, Ulquiorra-sama."

Sane had wanted so badly to jump for joy when her old caretaker had walked through the door. She'd lived with the scowls, anger, and crude remarks of the other arrancars for some time now. The worst of them – a teal-haired brute named Grimmjow – mocked her the most, telling her how inferior she was to him. But not one of them resembled Ulquiorra in any way. Not one of them was _her_ teacher.

However, now that he was back, she'd done her duty as a student and admitted her failure. Now all she could do was await the punishment.

"Where did you go?"

Bowing her head even lower, she said, "The room next door. I met someone there."

Ulquiorra stayed silent, expecting her story to continue. The truth was he already knew that she'd met the human from the real world – Grimmjow had done him the favor of mentioning it several times behind his back. The problem was if the human had told her anything of importance.

"She said some strange things."

Bingo.

"She said I was a soul reaper," said Sane, shaking her head. "But that would be preposterous, of course."

"When were you first able to see?"

"Excuse me?"

"I dislike repeating myself, woman."

"Oh, well…" Now that she thought about it, Sane couldn't remember when her sight returned. The only thing she recalled was the blurry image of Ulquiorra-sama the night before he left. Then, the next day, she woke with complete clarity. She hadn't even noticed the difference, as if she'd never been blind in her life. Straightening her posture, Sane said, "I believe it was after Ulquiorra-sama's last visit."

He wasn't exactly surprised at this. Szayel _had_ said she would regain her sight in three weeks, and he'd only been gone two. That business with the human girl had taken longer than he thought.

Yet back then, the woman's eyes had been pure white – a blank slate, completely devoid of color. How had they turned such a luminous shade of green in such a short amount of time? He couldn't take his gaze off her…

His mind twitched. And twitched again.

_Stupid woman_, he thought. Ulquiorra had never been frightened by anything in his whole life as an arrancar. He'd stared down countless hollows, stood up to fellow Espada; he didn't even have to struggle to become Aizen's 4th.

But his mind scared him. That thought he just had…

It made him shake inside.

Just as quickly as it had come, the notion was pushed aside. Ulquiorra vowed to his pitch black heart to never be swayed by anything so trivial again.

"Ulquiorra-sama? Something wrong?" Sane asked, stepping out of her comfort zone.

"Nothing of your concern."

"Understood." She said.

"Did the human say anything else?"

"Yes, Ulquiorra-sama. She…," Sane clenched her fists together. "She said you kidnapped her."

"I did."

"What? Why?"

"I see no reason to tell you."

"Is there a reason not to?" she argued. He merely had to look at her, and she winced. "Excuse my outburst, Ulquiorra-sama. I was out of place."

"I kidnapped her for Aizen-sama's purposes. That should abate your curiosity." He turned to face the door and Sane's newfound eyes bore into his back, just as they'd blindly done so many times before.

"She also spoke against Aizen-sama, saying that he, the hollows – all of us, in fact – we're all evil. We kill for sport. Is that true as well, Ulquiorra-sama?" she said, a subtle hint of anger in her voice. _Ulquiorra-sama…I defended you! How can you speak such things?!_

"All in due time, woman. Keep your mouth shut from now on."

And then he left. Just like he always did.

But why did Sane feel so oddly alone? She'd never had such a feeling before. Not now, not before. When Ulquiorra left her by herself, she'd sleep, eat, exercise; anything to pass the time until he came back again. But this was different. She wasn't sure what to do with herself. It was so quiet in her room.

She felt so alone.

"Havin' fun, brother?" said Grimmjow. He'd been quietly waiting outside Sane's room for his chance to poke fun at Ulquiorra. Only recently had the 6th Espada lost his rank in Aizen's army; and then, almost as quickly, gained it back after an unfortunate turn of events. Now, Grimmjow was back to causing subtle chaos within the walls of Hueco Mundo – as he was prone to do, of course. In his signature pose, Grimmjow leaned comfortably against the marble wall with his hands in his pockets. "Roped you in, hasn't she? You're such a ladies man!"

"Isn't there something else you should be doing, Grimmjow?" asked Ulquiorra.

"Course not," said Grimmjow, combing through his thick blue hair. "But I could be screwin' with that human chick right about now."

"Aizen-sama has decreed that no one but I shall tend to her."

"Your point?"

"You've already been punished once this month. Shall we call for a second? Perhaps you'll lose your other arm-"

"What'd you say?" The white collar around Ulquiorra's neck was ruffled where Grimmjow had seized it. His brawny knuckles tightened around the cloth, but Ulquiorra wasn't fazed.

"I suggest you don't anger anyone while your position as the Sexta Espada isn't compromised, Grimmjow. Aizen can always find another arrancar to replace you."

"You shut the hell up, prick! I swear, I'll-" Grimmjow fell silent. It was so obvious, the reiatsu coming from down the hall.

"Well, well, well, looky what we got here – a party! And I wasn't invited?" With the unmatched, unrivaled grin of a crazy man, Gin Ichimaru practically cantered towards the Espada. He cocked his head to the side like a confused dog; curious even. His strong reiatsu fell back to a normal, average state.

Poison laced in his words, Gin said, "Ya know, I really hate not being invited to parties."

Grimmjow was immediately pissed. His fingers were still latched on Ulquiorra's collar, but steadily came loose. He couldn't exactly afford to be in trouble at this point; even if his damned older brother was right. The 4th was staring at him impatiently until Grimmjow finally let go.

"Che!" he muttered, loud enough for the shinigami and espada to hear, and then sauntered away. From down the hall, he yelled, "You know she's messing with your head! You just don't have the balls to admit it."

"Well, that was fun," Gin said, ignoring Grimmjow's outburst. "Hope we can do it again sometime, eh Ulquiorra-san?"

"Your interference was not needed," Ulquiorra said plainly. He took the time to fix his ruffled coat and frowned – as best he could – at some of the now permanent wrinkles.

"A-ight, point taken. Just let me know when Grimmjow-kun goes crazy again." With a light wave, Gin turned his back on Ulquiorra. "Later."

_So idiotic_, Ulquiorra thought, but of course he'd never say it out loud. He could've easily handled the situation with Grimmjow, but no. There always had to be that small imperfection; a tiny mistake that changed the course of any given situation. And this time, Gin had been it. That underhanded assistant of a shinigami had purposely denied Ulquiorra _the right_ to punish Grimmjow, and by doing so, deprived Ulquiorra of any authority…

He felt anger. A slight twitch of hate in his chest, but it was definitely there. Never had he felt such a strange sensation before. _A defect,_ he thought. It was so small; he probably would've never felt it had he been preoccupied with something. It wouldn't be hard to ignore. Filing his index finger below his collar bone, he massaged the tattoo on his chest, where the sting was coming from.

* * *

**A/N:** Is Ulquiorra...feeling something? Omg, it's a revelation! XD

Forgive me again! It's shorter than I expected...

Review please?


	10. Dreams & Afterthoughts

Hola! How goes it in your world? :3

Goodness, I got the next chap up pretty fast didn't I? Maybe it's cuz this one was pretty much already written...Heh. Heh-heh. '

The opening poem is my favorite of all the ones I've written for this story. Hope you guys like it too!

Bleach - Tite Kubo

* * *

_Forever-more, I guide you,_

_Forever-still, I hold you,_

_Wait with me, stay with me,_

_If I don't let go,_

_Maybe you'll never leave._

**CHAPTER 10 – Dreams & Afterthoughts**

The ghost of a shadow wafted through the blackest of black halls, only to stop in front of a small door. This shadow gave way to a silhouette, which gave way to a figure, revealing the 4th Espada, Ulquiorra, doing what he normally did this time of day. Truly, with the soul reapers cowering in fear and no missions for him at the moment, Ulquiorra had nothing better to do. Maybe visiting the woman was some sort of last resort to kill any of his leftover precious time.

It had been at least three days since Grimmjow's little outburst in front of Ichimaru and Ulquiorra couldn't help but mull over it. It wasn't that Grimmjow's comments had annoyed him; his personality made such nuisances wither away into nothing. And even though Ichimaru had witnessed the whole conversation, he was not bothered in the least.

But the accusations Grimmjow had made – about the woman, no less – had stuck out in his mind like a rose amid thousands of thorns.

What exactly had he been insinuating when he said the woman had 'roped him in'? Ulquiorra had never heard such a phrase before. Obviously, the woman hadn't taken a rope to his neck like some cowardly steed. And she certainly hadn't tied him up somewhere; she was too pathetic for that. So what did Grimmjow's words mean? However, Grimmjow had also mentioned something about Sane messing with Ulquiorra's head. _That_ he understood quite well.

_As if some disobedient shinigami child could ever prevail over a single Espada. Such imaginings are out of the question._ Ulquiorra pushed his thoughts away, ignoring the temptation to investigate them further, and focused on the task at hand.

It was mid-day, so Ulquiorra expected her to be wide awake; possibly even doing her daily routine of exercises. But when he creaked open the door, to his surprise Sane was still asleep.

_How long must I keep watch over such a pitiless creature,_ he thought. Inching forward ever so quietly, his mind was saying 'wake her up', 'scold her', and possibly even 'punish her'. His conscience pushed him, and forced him to walk faster.

She was lying on her side, facing the bland cushions. Her hair curled up around her cheeks and her mouth was slightly open. Her limbs were cocooned around her body, providing warmth but creating stiffness in her muscles. Even from here, she seemed stressed. Anxious even, but her intense sleep continued as if nothing were wrong.

_Perhaps she is dreaming of times past._

With silent steps, Ulquiorra shifted onward. The couch had only been away and now he was close enough to touch it. Or even touch her, if he wanted.

But he refused to give in to immature curiosity. She was no different from other shinigami; their enemy, their opposite. Shinigami would stand in the way of hollows no longer. Aizen-sama, Tosen-sama, even Ichimaru were the only death gods he would ever acknowledge.

_But Aizen's plan…if it should fail…_

It was wrong of him to think that Aizen-sama might possibly have limits, but it was illogical to think anyone was truly perfect.

However, if Aizen was a genuine mastermind, he would've thought that through. There would be a failsafe in place; obviously, that was what the Hougyoku was for. That emblem that would lead them to God's realm and, when God himself was defeated, eternity would belong to them no matter the cost. Even if Aizen's new toy failed her mysterious task, the world would still crumble under his feet.

_Yet, I feel as if I am missing something; a small detail amid the swarm. Is it such an obvious thing that I may have misjudged the situation? Have I really given enough thought as to why this child is still here, being cradled by Aizen-sama?_

Ulquiorra wasn't sure of anything at the moment. No matter how much he analyzed the circumstances of the shinigami-child, he couldn't quite think clearly. His thoughts had begun to fog up…

He could hear her breathing. It was the steady, relaxing sound of circulating air that proved she was honestly sleeping. A light thump could be heard above the silence, as well.

_Her heart maybe?_ Ulquiorra crept closer. _A heart that actually beats, instead of stopping mid-breath. _

A hollow had hardly any heart to speak of. They did live, in a way, but they couldn't live like any normal human. They could hardly even be called souls anymore. The hollow that were encountered by most shinigami were all shapes, sizes, colors. But the arrancar were different, in that they could retain a human form. Did that make them any less human than this woman?

Knowing she was fast asleep and that it would take a large amount of movement to wake her, Ulquiorra watched the skin below her jaw pulsate and jump. He leaned over her, so much so that his hair hung right above her. Blood pumped through her neck gradually and he could still hear her heart pounding. His fingers trailed unwillingly over her skin, feeling the veins underneath, and the crimson liquid flowed as if guided by his fingertips. His eyes widened while his hand flexed on top of her throat. It was like a drum now; steady, loud, and intoxicating. Against his better judgment, her human characteristics were entrancing him.

He jerked back. He held his pale hand as if it had just been poisoned. _This is wrong. This is so wrong._

Sane shuddered beneath the new, colorless clothes. Her expression twisted from tension to pain. Ulquiorra froze above her. _I have no explanation for this if she wakes…_

But she didn't. The girl curled into an even tighter ball, despite strained breathing, and was at peace.

While she slept, Ulquiorra couldn't stand his own actions any longer. He swiftly exited the dark room with his lengthy coat tails fluttering behind him.

_Nothing can explain my behavior. I was…fascinated with her. I have no excuse for such absurdity._

The entire trek back to his room, Ulquiorra fought with himself. He mused over the girl, puzzled by his reverie. Was he excited by her heartbeat? Amused by her blood? Or did it have to do with Sane herself…

The mind – the mind of a _human_ – was such a perverse thing, after all; who could possibly claim to understand the inner workings of a _hollow's_ mind?

Ulquiorra would find out later that, after he'd left Sane alone, she had begun to cry in her sleep.

* * *

"_Onii-sama." Determination. The light scent of tea in the air._

"_Hmm?"_

"_Please. Listen to me."_

_Curiosity._

"_Is everything okay?"_

"_There's nothing wrong, onii-sama." Clinking of glass cups, shuffling of nervous feet._

"_I just…want to tell you something."_

_The purest of silence. Waiting; simply and quietly waiting._

_Slam! _

"_I joined the Soul Reaper academy!"_

"_Excuse me?!"_

_Passable anger, spreading like an ocean current between two souls._

"_Of all the things you could do: a soul reaper?! No. No, I won't allow it."_

_Blood rushing. Nerves straining._

"_You are not going to be a soul reaper!"_

_Glass cracking, liquid spilling, tempers flaring. Evermore does the pale night moon wish to dampen the aggravated spirits of siblings._

"_I want to do this! Don't stop me from doing what I want to do!"_

"_It's too dangerous!"_

_Everything is still, if only for mere seconds._

"…_You're a soul reaper too, onii-sama; don't tell me it's too dangerous when you're in danger every single day."_

_Inner shock, eyes wide, clenching fingers. Irritation saturates the atmosphere._

_Soft flesh touches wood, a door slides open._

"_I don't care what you say, onii-sama. I'm going to be a soul reaper, and there's nothing you can do about it."_

_Vanished. Gone. Departed._

_Sadness creeps in…_

_Quiet, raging sadness settles in his mind._

"_No…No, god, please don't do this to me…"_

_Crickets creak, wind blows, rain begins to fall._

"_She's all I have…"_

* * *

**A/N:** Ulquiorra just doesn't get it, does he? Weirdo...ish shot by rabid fangirls XD

I tried to keep him as OC as possible! Forgive me!

I'm really sorry if the dream sequences are hard to understand! I meant them to sound that way; sort of scratchy with some details left out. If you think about, writing them really simply like that gives the reader a bit more freedom when imagining the scene. So go on! Imagine away, everyone! XD

And can everyone do me a favor? I don't mean a review, but I'm talking about my **new poll**: "What will Sane's true name be?" I've listed a few options, and I'd like to have a vote from everybody reading this, if I can. Please! I need help! Or the main character isn't going to have a name! Check out my front page for the poll please!

And review too. Thanks. XD


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